£1.6bn committee is up and running!

Next week will see one of the biggest changes to local government in a generation.

On Tuesday, West Yorkshire’s new combined authority will come into force, a body set up to oversee £1.6 billion of investment in jobs and transport across the county and beyond over the next ten years.

And it has a bold aim – to help to turn the north into “a second UK economic powerhouse” to rival London and the south-east. A report going before the body’s inaugural meeting says that by teaming up with other combined authorities covering Sheffield and Greater Manchester, it hopes to bring “the major city regions of the north together into a combined economic engine” to compete with the capital.

It says the key to doing this will be improving both the transport network and the digital infrastructure in the north.

It says: “Although our transport network supports a high volume of passenger and freight movement, it is not keeping up with the pace of growth in our economy and our workforce.”

Other aims of the combined authority include creating 18,000 new jobs, doubling the rate of housebuilding by 2021 and creating more good-quality jobs to lift people out of welfare dependency.

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On Tuesday, the combined authority’s official website, westyorks-ca.gov.uk, will go live.

It will also be all change for the county’s transport authority, although passengers are unlikely to notice much of a difference.

Public transport body Metro is run by the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (WYITA).

From Tuesday, it will move under the wing of the combined authority, but it will still operate under the name of Metro, and the website, phone numbers and logos are all staying put.

A Metro spokesman said: “There should be no change for the travelling public.”

Its staff are also staying where they are, at Metro’s headquarters in Wellington House, Wellington Street, Leeds.

Tuesday will also see the inaugural meeting of the combined authority board, which includes Bradford Council leader Councillor David Green, at Metro’s offices.

In the past few months, members have been meeting as a shadow board as arrangements are finalised.

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The combined authority is expected to spend around £191 million in 2014/15.

Its budget is partly funded by levies placed on each of the districts in West Yorkshire. The contribution from Bradford for 2014-15 is expected to be more than £23 million.

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Comments (8)

Its funny that the country supposedly has not got any money but 18000 new jobs can be found that will be funded by the tax payer

Its funny that the country supposedly has not got any money but 18000 new jobs can be found that will be funded by the tax payercollos25

Its funny that the country supposedly has not got any money but 18000 new jobs can be found that will be funded by the tax payer

Score: 0

Mike Strutter says...8:26am Sat 29 Mar 14

Can't remember being asked to vote on this

Can't remember being asked to vote on thisMike Strutter

Can't remember being asked to vote on this

Score: 3

The Hoffster says...10:45am Sat 29 Mar 14

Does Green have a certain number of photos he can dish out to the T&A, all in various poses?

Does Green have a certain number of photos he can dish out to the T&A, all in various poses?The Hoffster

Does Green have a certain number of photos he can dish out to the T&A, all in various poses?

Score: 2

alive and awake says...5:31pm Sat 29 Mar 14

Passengers will not notice any difference! What's the point then?

Passengers will not notice any difference! What's the point then?alive and awake

Passengers will not notice any difference! What's the point then?

Score: 2

Thee Voice of Reason says...6:24pm Sat 29 Mar 14

Of this is being set up then I see no need to keep 90cllrs. Also like above the public were never asked if they agreed to it.

Of this is being set up then I see no need to keep 90cllrs. Also like above the public were never asked if they agreed to it.Thee Voice of Reason

Of this is being set up then I see no need to keep 90cllrs. Also like above the public were never asked if they agreed to it.

Score: 3

Blotto says...9:51am Sun 30 Mar 14

I can't believe folk haven't realised the 18000 new jobs are the result of the Bureaucrats being asked to initiate job cuts! "Yes Minister once again proves factual!" When it comes to Political dancing the "Quango" is still the "dance" of choice!

I can't believe folk haven't realised the 18000 new jobs are the result of the Bureaucrats being asked to initiate job cuts! "Yes Minister once again proves factual!" When it comes to Political dancing the "Quango" is still the "dance" of choice!Blotto

I can't believe folk haven't realised the 18000 new jobs are the result of the Bureaucrats being asked to initiate job cuts! "Yes Minister once again proves factual!" When it comes to Political dancing the "Quango" is still the "dance" of choice!

Score: 1

justjustice says...9:57am Sun 30 Mar 14

And how will our "brilliant" Bradford district councillors convince that money should be spend on Bradford? Or will Bradford be considered a part of Leeds as usual? Yes this is a good idea, but needs to be expanded to cover areas straight across from Liverpool to Hull. It's a pretty small corridor really, but if money is invested on fast transport from west to east, it can be a great asset to the region especially with manufacturing. But in order for such a project to succeed the local education system needs to be greatly improved to give people the right skills. It also needs to attract businesses in the first place, right now all our local skilled people are having to move down south to get a decent job. And if Scotland does gain independence, then having a northern powerhouse will improve the country's economy. Only issue now is getting more funding to set it all up, because it's gonna take a lot more than £1.6billion...

And how will our "brilliant" Bradford district councillors convince that money should be spend on Bradford? Or will Bradford be considered a part of Leeds as usual?
Yes this is a good idea, but needs to be expanded to cover areas straight across from Liverpool to Hull. It's a pretty small corridor really, but if money is invested on fast transport from west to east, it can be a great asset to the region especially with manufacturing.
But in order for such a project to succeed the local education system needs to be greatly improved to give people the right skills. It also needs to attract businesses in the first place, right now all our local skilled people are having to move down south to get a decent job.
And if Scotland does gain independence, then having a northern powerhouse will improve the country's economy.
Only issue now is getting more funding to set it all up, because it's gonna take a lot more than £1.6billion...justjustice

And how will our "brilliant" Bradford district councillors convince that money should be spend on Bradford? Or will Bradford be considered a part of Leeds as usual? Yes this is a good idea, but needs to be expanded to cover areas straight across from Liverpool to Hull. It's a pretty small corridor really, but if money is invested on fast transport from west to east, it can be a great asset to the region especially with manufacturing. But in order for such a project to succeed the local education system needs to be greatly improved to give people the right skills. It also needs to attract businesses in the first place, right now all our local skilled people are having to move down south to get a decent job. And if Scotland does gain independence, then having a northern powerhouse will improve the country's economy. Only issue now is getting more funding to set it all up, because it's gonna take a lot more than £1.6billion...

Score: 1

G_Firth says...1:49am Mon 31 Mar 14

If you actually look at the make up of it its just a carbon copy of the old WYCC under a different name and is but a prelude to a super council in my view. Very few people even knew of its existence let alone its conception. No real publicity other than a very obscure page on the Leeds council website and a few one line posts in the papers. Even after it came to light not a single reply to any questions put to them directly either. Where is the accountability, freedom of information or anything for that matter because I can't see any can anyone else. On a end note don't you find it strange that they have cut 1.6 million from social care and up pops this at 1.6 million. Looks like some one has been cooking the books again if you ask me

If you actually look at the make up of it its just a carbon copy of the old WYCC under a different name and is but a prelude to a super council in my view.
Very few people even knew of its existence let alone its conception.
No real publicity other than a very obscure page on the Leeds council website and a few one line posts in the papers.
Even after it came to light not a single reply to any questions put to them directly either.
Where is the accountability, freedom of information or anything for that matter because I can't see any can anyone else.
On a end note don't you find it strange that they have cut 1.6 million from social care and up pops this at 1.6 million.
Looks like some one has been cooking the books again if you ask meG_Firth

If you actually look at the make up of it its just a carbon copy of the old WYCC under a different name and is but a prelude to a super council in my view. Very few people even knew of its existence let alone its conception. No real publicity other than a very obscure page on the Leeds council website and a few one line posts in the papers. Even after it came to light not a single reply to any questions put to them directly either. Where is the accountability, freedom of information or anything for that matter because I can't see any can anyone else. On a end note don't you find it strange that they have cut 1.6 million from social care and up pops this at 1.6 million. Looks like some one has been cooking the books again if you ask me

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